I am Judith Rubins. I live in Beverly Hills with my two Yorkshire Terriers Princess and Moe. One of my favorite things in life is having parties and spending time AT HOME WITH FRIENDS. I like thinking about parties: tweaking recipes, putting together menus, arranging flowers and setting my table in a different style every time. For me, it’s almost like making a movie that I get to write, produce, cast and star in. I’ve been doing this since I was in college. While my style has evolved and the ingredients have changed, the basics are the same — get together with good friends, have a wonderful time, laugh and make memories.

My parties are never about perfection. They are always about the magic of a shared experience touched with beauty and warmth. So many people have asked me how I put a party together or how I remain calm and relaxed no matter what happens, that I decided to share what I have learned, what I do and the secrets to having a great time at your own parties. Every month, I will be posting a different party complete with detailed menu, recipes, tips, table settings and photos from my actual party. While I live in Beverly Hills, I am not one of those housewives that we all love to watch. I don’t hire party planners, I don’t use caterers, I don’t use exotic flowers and spend thousands of dollars on invitations and table settings. I live in Beverly Hills but I shop at Costco and Trader Joe’s and regular supermarkets, just like you. I do all my own shopping and cooking. For some of the parties and menus, there are multiple options for each course, but I will always give you ways to simplify the menu.

Also, I will walk you through how to plan the party so it is easy and stress free. I am new to this blogging thing, so bear with me. I want to hear from you and am happy to answer any questions, from planning to recipes, to settings, to what I am wearing. That’s my intent and that’s what you can expect. Of course, this will evolve as the blog continues. I invite you to come to the party.